General Tso's Chicken Recipe

Level: Easy
Yield: 4 servings
Nutritional Analysis Per Serving Serving Size 1 of 40 servings Calories 426 Total Fat 38 g Saturated Fat 3 g Carbohydrates 16 g Dietary Fiber 1 g Sugar 3 g Protein 6 g Cholesterol 22 mg Sodium 148 mg
Total: 30 min
Active: 30 min

Discover the irresistible allure of General Tso's Chickena dish that sparks endless debate over its origins, but one thing's certain: its explosion of savory, sour, sweet, salty, and spicy flavors will captivate your taste buds and rival any takeout! Whip up this crispy, addictive favorite at home in just 30 minutes. Note the key difference: sambal oelek is spicier than Chinese chili garlic sauceuse only half if substituting.

Chicken:

1 1/2 cups (335 grams) broccoli florets
1 1/2 quarts (1.8 liters) vegetable oil, plus 2 tablespoons (30 milliliters) for stir-frying
2 pounds (900 grams) boneless chicken thighs, cut into 1-inch (3-centimeter) cubes
1 1/2 cups (335 grams) tempura flour, plus 1 cup (223 grams) for dredging
1 cup (240 milliliters) cold water
1/2 onion, cut into large dice
10 to 12 whole dried Thai chiles
1/2 tablespoon (8 grams) minced ginger root
1/2 tablespoon (5 grams) chopped garlic

Sauce:

1/2 cup (90 milliliters) oyster sauce
1 tablespoon (15 milliliters) hoisin sauce
1 tablespoon (15 milliliters) chili garlic sauce
1/2 cup (95 grams) sugar
6 tablespoons (90 milliliters) white vinegar
2 tablespoons (30 milliliters) soy sauce
1 tablespoon (7 grams) cornstarch mixed with 1 tablespoon (15 milliliters) water
1 drop red food coloring (optional)
3 scallions, sliced on the bias

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For the chicken: Place the broccoli florets in a medium bowl and add 2 tablespoons water. Cover with plastic wrap and microwave for 2 minutes, until tender. Drain and set aside until ready to use.
Heat the oil in a 4-quart (3.8-liter) Dutch oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C) using a frying thermometer. Rinse the chicken in cold water and pat dry with paper towels. Mix 1 1/2 cups (335 grams) of the tempura flour and 1 cup (240 milliliters) water into a thick batterlike thick pancake batter. Dredge the chicken cubes in the 1 cup (223 grams) of tempura flour, then coat in the batter. Fry in two batches until golden brown and crispy, 6 to 8 minutes. Drain on paper towels or a rack.
Heat a wok or large skillet to high and add 2 tablespoons (30 milliliters) of oil. When you see the first wisps of white smoke, stir in the fried chicken, onion, chiles, broccoli, and 1/3 of the ginger and garlic. Cook for about 30 seconds.
For the sauce: While the chicken cooks, add the oyster sauce, hoisin sauce, chili garlic sauce, sugar, white vinegar, soy sauce, cornstarch slurry, red food coloring if using, 1/3 cup water, and the remaining ginger and garlic to a 1-quart (946-milliliter) saucepan. Bring to medium heat, whisk gently until simmering, and continue whisking for 5 minutes until thickened. Remove from heat.
Stir in the sauce to coat the chicken and simmer, folding everything together until glossy and well-coated, about 2 minutes. Garnish with scallions and dive into crispy perfection!